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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 4462375" data-attributes="member: 1846">The MausoleumThe sky is overcast and a light spring wind blows from the East, as the heroes leave the small village of Linden Field. Aran leads the way, following the tracks, but all members of the group find it easy to see which way the boys were taken. The tracks head across several muddy fields and through a small wood before the Shadowhaunt Mausoleum is revealed.The Mausoleum is a small building, one-storey, built of stone. It has a flat stone roof, and only a few markings on the outside, but on one side it has a more elaborate mural showing a human figure in armour battling what might be a gnoll. The mural is faded now - it appears that no one is looking after this monument to the Kaius Dynasty, who protected the area for so many years.The doors into the Mausoleum are heavy and also made of stone, but they are well-balanced and appear to have been recently opened. The group nervously heads inside, wary of the stories of haunted crypts and of ambush. They see a rectangular room with three scarcoughagi on each side, all closed. Above each one, a statue rests on a small shelf in a niche. The statues on the left are recognised by Rangrim as being representative of Pelor, God of the Sun, with those on the right representing Bahamut, Father of Dragons. In the centre of the room stands a large obelisk, writing in Common along the side detailing the history of the Dynasty in the area.Relaxing a little in the presence of insignia of such well-venerated gods, the group begin to search the area. Theron quickly spots that the statue in the far right hand corner has been dislodged and has falled to the ground.Cass, with assistance from Elwanen and Rangrim, levers the lid of one scarcoughagus (to the mild dismay of Des, who protests that the dead should be left alone. However, all that is inside is a mouldering skeleton dressed in rusting chainmail. Leaving it undisturbed, the lid is replaced. The group are baffled - how did three people come into this room with no other visible exits, yet leave without a trace of where they went?Aran searches around again, and in a moment the Halfling is calling the others over to the obelisk. There are strange scuff marks on the floor and a slight draft coming from it, sure signs of a secret door! However, Aran can offer no further ideas as to how to open it.Suddenly, a chill wind blows through the room - even though the door is closed. Each person glances around, feeling as though they are being watched - and then, in eerie silence, a ghostly figure rises up through the floor. It is dressed in shabby robes that seem to fade away at the sides, drifting in an unfelt breeze. It's face is indistinct beneath a cowl, and he bears no clear markings of any kind on his robes. He points towards Elwanen and intones in a rasping voice:"Interlopers beware! If you trespass you shall not recognise the wisdom of my words. From entry sinister, the way becomes clear when the son follows the sire." He then falls silent and floats motionless, watching.It's quite unnerving being watched by a ghostly figure with no visible face, but pooling their knowledge and racking their brains the group come up with the solution.Cass remembers that "From entry sinister" refers to the heraldric custom of designating the left hand as the sinister hand, and therefore means "the left side".Aran reasons that "the son" could also be "the Sun", referring to Pelor, God of the Son.Finally Theron makes a connection between "the Sire" and Bahamut - Bahamut is referred to as the Father of Dragons."I've got it!" yells Aran with some glee, and runs round the room moving the statues. Starting with the shelf on the left of the door, he alternates Bahamut and Pelor statues on each shelf. Glancing up to the spirit, he notices that it somehow seems pleased, and as the final statue is placed one side of the obelisk slowly grinds open, revealing a flight of stairs leading down into darkness.The dark-robed figure sinks back into the floor, and the adventurers gather around the newly-revealed entrance, wondering what lies beneath.Next update: The party encounters their first real foes!</blockquote>

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